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This Saga is an Apocalypse is a disclosure of something hidden from the majority of mankind in an era dominated by falsehood and misconception, i.e. the veil to be lifted. In a rather common-sensical way the term is associated with an eschatological final battle, the Armageddon, and the idea of an end of the world due to out of time. These perceptions may better be related to the phrase apokalupsis eschaton, literally "revelation at of the end of the æon, or age". In Christianity The Apocalypse of John is the Book of Revelation, the last book of the Bible & the 2nd Series in Cube Vice. Characteristic features Dreams or visions The disclosure of future events is made through a dream, as was the experience for the prophet Daniel,1 which is recorded in the book with his name, or a vision as was recorded by John in the Book of Revelation. Moreover, the manner of the revelation and the experience of the one who received it are generally prominent. The account is usually given in the first person. There is something portentous in the circumstances corresponding to the importance of the secrets about to be disclosed. The element of the mysterious, often prominent in the vision itself, is foreshadowed in the preliminary events. Some of the persistent features of the apocalyptic tradition are connected with the circumstances of the vision and the personal experience of the seer. The primary example of apocalyptic literature in the Bible is the book of Daniel. After a long period of fasting,2 Daniel is standing by a river when a heavenly being appears to him, and the revelation follows (Daniel 10:2ff). John, in the New Testament Revelation (1:9ff), has a like experience, told in very similar words. Compare also the first chapter of the Greek Apocalypse of Baruch; and the Syriac Apocalypse of Baruch, vi.1ff, xiii.1ff, lv.1-3. Or, as the prophet lies upon his bed, distressed for the future of his people, he falls into a sort of trance, and in "the visions of his head" is shown the future. This is the case in Daniel 7:1ff; 2 Esdras 3:1-3; and in the Book of Enoch, i.2 and following. As to the description of the effect of the vision upon the seer, see Daniel 8:27; Enoch, lx.3; 2 Esdras 5:14. Angels The introduction of Angels as the bearers of the revelationary is a standing feature. At least four types or ranks of angels are mentioned in biblical scripture: the Archangels, Angels, Cherubim and the Seraphim. God may give instructions through the medium of these heavenly messengers, and who act as the seer's guide. God may also personally give a revelation, as is shown in the Book of Revelation through the person of Jesus Christ. The book of Genesis speaks of the "Angel" bringing forth the apocalypse. Beast or endtime ruler In the Old and New Testaments, a particular individual is singled out as the particular focus of God's wrath. This individual is known in biblical scripture by many titles such as the "beast", the "little horn", the "prince that will come" and other titles. One ancient prince was singled out in scripture, the Prince of Tyre, who may be considered a 'type' of antichrist. After the judgment of the Prince of Tyre, God directs the prophet Ezekiel to write a judgment about the King of Tyre, and from the scripture some say it is learned that this individual is not a human being, but "the anointed cherub that covereth". From further reading of the text it is learned that the cherub being addressed here may be Satan, as this was his former position before the throne of God before his fall. Satan is also viewed as a 'prince' that will eventually be judged. The straightforward view of this passage, however, is that the individual is the human Prince of Tyre. An alternative translation is that the cherub refers to one who acts on the Prince, rather than the Prince himself. Future Apocalyptic visions through the writing of these scriptures is how the prophets revealed God's justice as taking place in the future. This genre has a distinctly religious aim, intended to show God's way of dealing with humankind, and God's ultimate purposes. The writers present, sometimes very vividly, a picture of coming events, especially those connected with the end of the present age. In certain of these writings the subject-matter is vaguely described as "that which shall come to pass in the latter days" (Daniel 2:28;19 compare verse 29); similarly Daniel 10:14, "to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the later days";20 compare Enoch, i.1, 2; x.2ff. So, too, in Revelation 1:1 (compare the Septuagint translation of Daniel 2:28ff), "Revelation ... that which must shortly come to pass." Future history is not included in the vision, traditionally said to give the proper historical setting to the prediction, as the panorama of successive events passes over imperceptibly from the known to the unknown. Thus, in the eleventh chapter of Daniel, the detailed history of the Greek empire in the East, from the conquest of Alexander down to the latter part of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes (verses 3-39, all presented in the form of a prediction), is continued, without any break, in a scarcely less vivid description (verses 40-45) of events which had not yet taken place, but were expected by the writer: the wars which should result in the death of Antiochus and the fall of his kingdom. Modern scholars therefore date the composition of the book to about 167 BCE, when Antiochus Epiphanes sacked Jerusalem and desecrated the Holy Places. This serves as the introduction to the eschatological predictions in the twelfth chapter. Similarly, in the dream recounted in 2 Esdras 11 and 12, the eagle, representing the Roman Empire, is followed by the lion, which is the promised Messiah, who is to deliver the chosen people and establish an everlasting kingdom. The transition from history to prediction is seen in xii.28, where the expected end of Domitian's reign – and with it the end of the world – is foretold. Still another example of the same kind is Sibyllines, iii.608-623. Compare also Assumptio Mosis, vii-ix. In nearly all the writings which are properly classed as apocalyptic the eschatological element is prominent. The growth of speculation regarding the age to come and the hope for the chosen people more than anything else occasioned the rise and influenced the development of apocalyptic literature. Mystical symbolism Mystical symbolism is frequent characteristic of apocalyptic writing. This feature is illustrated in the instances where gematria is employed either for the sake of obscuring the writer's meaning, or enhancing its meaning further as a number of ancient cultures used letters also as numbers (i.e., the Romans with their use of 'roman numerals'). Thus, the mysterious name "Taxo," "Assumptio Mosis", ix. 1; the "number of the beast" 666, of Revelation 13:18;21 the number 888 ('Iησōῦς), Sibyllines, i.326-330. Similar to this discussion is the frequent prophecy of the length of time through which the events predicted must be fulfilled. Thus, the "time, times, and a half," Daniel 12:722 which has generally been agreed to be 3½ years in length by dispensationalists; the "fifty-eight times" of Enoch, xc.5, "Assumptio Mosis", x.11; the announcement of a certain number of "weeks" or days, which starting point in Daniel 9:24, 25 is the "the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks",23 a mention of 1290 days after the covenant/sacrifice is broken (Daniel 12:11),24 12; Enoch xciii.3-10; 2 Esdras 14:11, 12; Apocalypse of Baruch xxvi-xxviii; Revelation 11:3, which mentions "two witnesses" with supernatural power,25 12:6;26 compare Assumptio Mosis, vii.1. Symbolic language is also used to describe persons, things, or events; thus, the "horns" of Daniel 7 and 8;27 Revelation 1728 and following; the "heads" and "wings" of 2 Esdras xi and following; the seven seals of Revelation 6;29 trumpets, Revelation 8;30 "vials of the wrath of God" or "bowl..." judgments, Revelation 16;31 the dragon, Revelation 12:3-17,32 Revelation 20:1-3;33 the eagle, Assumptio Mosis, x.8; and so on. As examples of more elaborate prophecies and allegories, aside from those in Daniel Chapters 7 and 8; and 2 Esdras Chapters 11 and 12, already referred to, may be mentioned: the vision of the bulls and the sheep, Enoch, lxxxv and following; the forest, the vine, the fountain, and the cedar, Apocalypse of Baruch xxxvi and following; the bright and the black waters, ibid. liii and following; the willow and its branches, Hermas, "Similitudines," viii. EnlargeRussian Orthodox icon Apocalypse End of the age In John's apocalypse, the Book of Revelation, he refers to the "unveiling" or "revelation" of Jesus Christ as Messiah. This term has come to mean, in common usage, the end of the world. The simple pictures of the end of the age in the books of the Old Testament were images of the judgment of the wicked, as well as the resurrection and glorification of those who were given righteousness before God. The dead are seen in the book of Job and in some of the Psalms as being in Sheol, awaiting the final judgment. The wicked will then be consigned to eternal torment in the fires of Gehinnom, or the Lake of Fire mentioned in Revelation. The New Testament letters written by the Apostle Paul expand on this theme of the judgment of the wicked, and the glorification of those who belong to Christ or Messiah. In his letters to the Corinthians and the Thessalonians Paul expounds further on the destiny of the righteous. He speaks of the simultaneous resurrection and rapture of those who are in Christ, (or Messiah). Christianity had a Millennial expectation for glorification of the righteous from the time it emerged from Judaism and spread out into the world in the first century. The poetic and prophetic literature of the Hebrew Bible, particularly in Isaiah, were rich in Millennial imagery. The New Testament Congregation after Pentecost carried on with this theme. During his imprisonment by the Romans on the Island of Patmos, John described the visions he experienced, writing the Book of Revelation. Revelation chapter 20 contains several reference to a thousand year reign of Christ/Messiah upon this earth . Modern Christian movements in the 18th and 19th Centuries were characterized by a rise of Millennialism. Christian Apocalyptic eschatology was a continuation of the same two themes referred to throughout all of scripture as "this age" and "the age to come". Evangelicals have been in the forefront popularizing the biblical prophecy of a major confrontation between good and evil at the end of this age, a coming Millennium to follow, and a final confrontation whereby the wicked are judged, the righteous are rewarded and the beginning of Eternity is viewed. Most evangelicals have been taught a form of Millennialism known as Dispensationalism, which arose in the 19th century. Dispensationalism sees separate destinies for the Christian Church and Israel. Its concept of a special Pre-Tribulation Rapture of the Church has become extremely popular. This is the central thesis of the Left Behind books and films. Dispensationalist interpretations find in biblical prophecy predictions of future events: the various periods of the church, for example, shown through the letters to the seven churches; the throne of God in Heaven and his Glory; specific judgments that will occur on the earth; the final form of gentile power; God' re-dealing with the nation Israel based upon covenants mentioned in the Old Testament; the second coming proper; a one-thousand year reign of Messiah; a last test of Mankind's sinful nature under ideal conditions by the loosing of Satan, with a judgment of fire coming down from Heaven that follows; the Great White Throne Judgment, and the destruction of the current heavens and the earth, to be recreated as a "New Heaven and New Earth" ushering in the beginning of Eternity. A differing interpretation is found in the Post Tribulation Rapture. One of the most complete exegetical works on the meaning of the Book of Revelation was written by Emanuel Swedenborg called the Apocalypse Revealed, first published in two volumes in Amsterdam in 1766. A more current book, utilizing the literal method of interpretation, is "The Revelation Record" by Henry M. Morris. The End Time, End Times, or End of Days are the eschatological writings in the three Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) and in doomsday scenarios in various other non-Abrahamic religions. In Christianity, the End Times are often depicted as a time of tribulation that precedes the Second Coming of the Christian “saviour“ or a “hoped-for deliverer”, Jesus, the Christian Messiah, who will usher in the Kingdom of God and bring an end to suffering and evil. In Islam, Yawm al-Qiyāmah "the Day of Resurrection" or Yawm ad-Din "the Day of Judgement", Allah's final assessment of humanity, is preceded by the end of the world. In Judaism the term “End of Days” is taken from the Tanakh, Numbers 24:4, as a reference to the Messianic era and the Jewish belief in the coming of Mashiach.1 Various other religions also have eschatological beliefs associated with turning and redemption. Judaism Main article: Jewish eschatolog In Judaism, End Times are usually called The End of Days (aḥarit ha-yamim, אחרית הימים), a phrase that appears several times in the Tanakh. Though the idea of a messianic age has a prominent place in Jewish thought, it is not a pre-ordained event but rather brought about by religious observance and good deeds. The term may refer to a number of interwoven themes: *Jewish messianism *The ingathering of the exiles *The land of Israel will turn from a desert into a garden, flourishing with fruits *Rebuilding of the Temple *Animal sacrifice or Korban *The World to Come (Olam ha-Ba) is an ambiguous term that may refer to the afterlife, the messianic world, or the life of the resurrected End of Days recorded in the Tanakh: Tumultuous events will overturn the old world order, as is recorded in these example verses contained in the following Old Testament verses of the Bible: Deuteronomy 4:29-39 (King James Version): But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy GOD, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice; (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them. For ask now of the days that are past, which were before thee, since the day that God created man upon the earth, and ask from the one side of heaven unto the other, whether there hath been any such thing as this great thing is, or hath been heard like it? Did ever people hear the voice of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live? Or hath God assayed to go and take him a nation from the midst of another nation, by temptations, by signs, and by wonders, and by war, and by a mighty hand, and by a stretched out arm, and by great terrors, according to all that the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? Unto thee it was shewed, that thou mightest know that the LORD he is God; there is none else beside him. Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice, that he might instruct thee: and upon earth he shewed thee his great fire; and thou heardest his words out of the midst of the fire. And because he loved thy fathers, therefore he chose their seed after them, and brought thee out in his sight with his mighty power out of Egypt; to drive out nations from before thee greater and mightier than thou art, to bring thee in, to give thee their land for an inheritance, as it is this day. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the LORD he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. Isaiah 2:1-5 (King James Version): The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. Micah 4:1-5 (King James Version): But in the last days it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the LORD shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. And he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar off; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. These events create a new order in which God is universally recognized as the ruler over His creation, which includes everyone and everything. Talmud In other writings, one of the sages of the Talmud says: "Let the end of days come, but may I not live to see them, because they will be filled with so much conflict and suffering." The Talmud, in the tractate Avodah Zarah, on page 9A, states that this world as we know it will only exist for six thousand years. The Hebrew calendar (luach) functions completely on the assumption that time begins at the creation of Adam, the primordial man. Many people (notably Conservative and Reform Jews and some Christians) think that the years of the Torah, or Jewish Bible, are symbolic. According to the ancient Jewish teachings continued by today's Orthodox Jews, the years are literal and consistent throughout all time, with 24 hours per day and an average of 365 days per year. Appropriate calibrations are, of course, done with leap years, to account for the difference between the lunar calendar and the solar calendar, since the Jewish calendar is based on both. Thus the year 2007 equals 5767 years since creation of man on the present Jewish calendar. According to this calculation, the End of Days will occur at or before the year 2240 (the year 6000 in the Hebrew calendar). According to Jewish tradition, those living during the End Times will see: #Synagogues and study halls that were in Babylon are established in the land of Israel.(Mesechet Megillah, 29a) #Land of Israel sprouting with vegetation.(Mesechet Sanhedrin 98a) #Government will become heretics. (Sanhedrin 97a) #The Ishmaelites(Arabs) will be preventing the Jews from returning to their homeland, until their merit of circumcission runs out. (Zohar, Vaera 32a) #Ingathering of the scattered Jewish exiles to geographic Israel, #Defeat of all of Israel's enemies, #Building (or divine placement) of the third Jewish Temple in Jerusalem and the resumption of the sacrificial offerings and Temple service, #Revival of the Dead (techiat hameitim), or the Resurrection, #At some point, the Jewish Messiah will become the anointed King of Israel. He will divide the Jews in Israel into their original tribal portions in the land. During this time, Gog, king of Magog Ezekiel 39, will attack Israel. Magog will fight a great battle, in which many will die on both sides, but God will intervene and save the Jews. This is the battle referred to as Armageddon. God, having vanquished this final enemy once and for all, will accordingly banish all evil from human existence. After the year 6000 (in the Jewish calendar), the seventh millennium will be an era of holiness, tranquility, spiritual life, and worldwide peace, called the Olam Haba ("Future World"), where all people will know God directly." "All Israel have a portion in the world to come." (Talmud Sanhedrin 10:1) The Ramban (Nachmanides) interprets the world to come as the ultimate good and purpose of creation. He therefore holds that the world to come actually refers to the resurrection of the dead. An event that will occur after the messianic age has already begun. Christianity Main articles: Second Coming and Christian eschatology Some Christians in the first century believed that Jesus would return during their lifetime, because Jesus had said to his followers to be alert or be ready at all times. From this belief came the first evidence of the doctrine of imminence.[citation needed] When the converts of Paul in Thessalonica were persecuted by the Roman Empire, they believed the end was upon them.5 Tribulation in the New Testament: Main article: TribulationThe prophetic theme of the New Testament also mirrors the Old Testament, namely, Tribulation. In the New Testament, Jesus refers to this as the "Great Tribulation", "Affliction", and "days of vengeance." Matthew 24:15-22 (King James Version): "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand). Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains. Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house. Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened. Mark 13:14-20 (King James Version): "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. Luke 21:20-33 (King James Version): "And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh. Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto. For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away." Catholicism Main article: Last Judgment Enlarge The Last Judgement - Fresco in the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo.Catholicism mainly adheres to the Amillenial school of thought, promoted by Augustine of Hippo in his work "The City of God". Augustine claims a non-literal fulfillment of prophecy. Catholics may also refer to Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 24, Verse 36, in which Christ is quoted as saying: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." (RSV Translation) While some who believe in the literal interpretation of the Bible insist that the prediction of dates or times is futile, some other writers believe that Jesus foretold of signs which would indicate that the "end of days" was near. Some of these signs include earthquakes, natural disasters, civil problems, "wars and rumors of wars," and other catastrophes. Of the precise time, however, it will come like a "thief in the night" (1 Thess. 5:2). According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Catholic beliefs concerning the End Times are addressed in the Profession of Faith.6 Protestantism Enlarge The Antichrist, by Lucas Cranach the Elder (1521) Here the Antichrist is shown wearing the triple crown of the Roman papacy. Millennialists concentrate on the issue of whether the true believers will see the tribulation or be removed from it by what is referred to as a Pre-Tribulation Rapture. Amillennialists believe that the end times encompass the time from Christ's ascension to the Last day, and maintain that the mention of the "thousand years" in the Book of Revelation is meant to be taken metaphorically (i.e., not literally, or 'spiritually'), a view which continues to cause divisions within evangelical Christianity. End-times beliefs in Protestant Christianity vary widely. Christians premillennialists who believe that the End Times are occurring now, are usually specific about timelines that climax in the end of the world. For some, Israel, the European Union, or the United Nations are seen as major players whose roles are foretold in scriptures. Among dispensational premillennialists writers, there are those who believe that Christians will be supernaturally summoned to Heaven by Jesus in an event called the Rapture, which occurs before the biblical "Great Tribulation" prophesied in Matthew 24-25; Mark 13 and Luke 21. The Great Tribulation is also mentioned in the last book of the Bible — the book of Revelation. 'End times' may also refer simply to the passing of a particular age or long period in the relationship between man and God. Adherents to this view sometimes cite St. Paul's second letter to Timothy, and draw analogies to the late 20th/early 21st centuries. Post-Exilic Hebrew books of prophecy such as the Book of Daniel and Book of Ezekiel are given new interpretations in this Christian tradition, while apocalyptic forecasts appear in the Judeo-Christian Sibylline Oracles and in the whole field of apocalyptic literature, which includes the Book of Revelation ascribed to John, the apocryphal Apocalypse of Peter, and the Second Book Of Esdras. Most fundamentalist Christians anticipate that biblical prophecy will be fulfilled literally. They see current world and regional wars, earthquakes, hurricanes and famines as the beginning of the birth pains which Jesus described in Matthew 24:7-8 and Mark 13:8. They believe that mankind started in the garden of Eden, and point to Megiddo as the place that the current world system will finish, with the Advent of Messiah coming to rule for 1,000 years. Contemporary use of the term End Times has evolved from use around a group of literal beliefs in Christian millennialism. These beliefs typically include the ideas that the Biblical apocalypse is imminent and that various signs in current events are omens of a climax to world history known as the battle of Armageddon. These beliefs have been widely held in one form, by the Adventist movement (Millerites), by Jehovah's Witnesses, and in another form by dispensational premillennialists. In 1918 a group of eight well known preachers produced a London Manifesto warning of an imminent second coming of Christ shortly after the 1917 liberation of Jerusalem by the British. Religious movements which expect that the second coming of Christ, will be a cataclysmic event, generally called adventism, have arisen throughout the Christian era; but they became particularly common during and after the Protestant Reformation. Shakers, Emanuel Swedenborg (who considered the second coming to be symbolic, and to have occurred in 1757), and others developed entire religious systems around a central concern for the second coming of Christ, disclosed by new prophecy or special gifts of revelation. The Millerites are diverse religious groups which similarly rely upon a special gift of interpretation for fixing the date of Christ's return. The chief difference between the nineteenth century Millerite and Adventist movements and contemporary prophecy belief is that William Miller and his followers fixed the time for the Second Coming by calendar calculations based on interpretations of the Biblical apocalypses; they originally set a date for the Second Coming in 1844. These sorts of computations also appear in some contemporary prophecy beliefs, but few contemporary End Times prophets use them to fix a date; their timetables will be triggered by future wars and moral catastrophes, and accordingly believe that God's judgment against the conflict-ridden and corrupt world is close at hand. Seventh-day Adventists believe that Biblical prophecy foretells an end time scenario in which the United States works in conjunction with the Catholic Church to mandate worship on a day other than the seventh-day Sabbath (Saturday) as prescribed in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11), thereby bringing about a situation where one must choose for or against the Bible as the revealed will of God.7 Short paperback books like National Sunday Law promise that, just in the day of the Roman emperor Constantine, Sunday religious worship will be enforced on pain of death: this is anathema to those who believe they must worship on Saturday. Seventh-day Adventists interpret the "two horned beast" that "came out of the wilderness" and "spoke meekly" to mean the United States because it passed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, was established in a thinly-settled part of the world compared to Roman and Byzantine Europe, and because it declared support for democracy, rule of law, and at least the rights of all white men, rich or poor. Books such as The Pearl of Great Price do much to remind the reader that Christians of conscience have struggled to translate and read the Bible according to their own conscience. When caught, these Christians have not compromised their beliefs nor engaged in violence. The Seventh-day Adventists would be the first in line to oppose the right-wing incorporation of religious agenda into politics, not only because Seventh-day Adventists and other Christians (such as Jehovah's Witnesses) have been arrested and tried for offenses such as draft evasion, but because the politicalization of any religious agenda may lead to an official religion and not only first criminalize the losers, but if there is a power shift, also come to criminalize the ex-winners, too. Preterism Main article: Preterism Another view of the 'end times' known as Preterism differentiates between the concept of 'time of the end' and 'end of time', and promotes a different understanding of these prophecies, in that they took place in the first century, more specifically in year AD 70, when the Jewish Temple was destroyed, and animal sacrifices were stopped. In this view, the 'time of the end' concept is referring to the end of the covenant between God and Israel, rather than the end of time, or the end of planet Earth. Unlike all the other Christian theological systems, Preterism holds an exclusive and unique view on the nature and timing of the 'End Times', in that Preterists teach the 'end times' to be in the first century AD. Preterists believe that prophecies such as the Second Coming, the defiling of the Temple, the destruction of Jerusalem, the Antichrist, the Great Tribulation, the advent of The Day of the Lord and the Final Judgment were fulfilled at or about the year AD 70 when the Roman general (and future Emperor) Titus sacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Jewish Temple, putting a permanent stop to the daily animal sacrifices. Proponents of Full Preterism do not believe in the bodily Resurrection of the dead and place this event as well as the Second Coming in AD 70, whereas proponents of Partial Preterism do believe in a bodily resurrection of the dead at a future Second Coming. Full preterists contend that those who consider themselves to be partial preterists are actually just futurists since they believe the Second Coming, Resurrection, Rapture and Judgment are still in the future. Many preterists believe the first-century living Christians were literally raptured off the earth to be with Christ. At that time, their bodies were changed to be like Christ's. Preterists also believe the term 'Last Days' or 'Time of the End' refers not to the last days of planet Earth, or last days of mankind, but to the last days of the Old Covenant, the Mosaic Covenant which God had exclusively with Israel until year AD 70. According to Preterism, many 'time passages' in the New Testament indicate with apparent certainty that the Second Coming of Christ, and the 'End Times' predicted in the Bible were to take place within the lifetimes of Christ's disciples: Matt. 10:23, Matt. 16:28, Matt. 24:34, Matt. 26:64, Rom. 13:11-12, 1 Cor. 7:29-31, 1 Cor. 10:11, Phil. 4:5, James 5:8-9, 1 Pet. 4:7, 1 Jn. 2:18. Dispensationalist prophecies Main article: DispensationalismThe reestablishment of Israel in 1948 provided a major impetus to the dispensationalist belief system. Israel's history of wars after 1948 with its Arab neighbors provided further research as was seen in at least one book by John F. Walvoord.8 After the Six Day War in 1967, and the Yom Kippur War in 1973, it seemed plausible to many Fundamentalist Christians in the 1970s that Middle East turmoil may well be leading up to the fulfillment of various Bible prophecies and to the Battle of Armageddon. Members of the dispensationalist movement such as Hal Lindsey, J. Dwight Pentecost, John Walvoord, all of whom have Dallas Theological Seminary backgrounds, and some other writers, claimed further that the European Economic Community founded on the Treaty of Rome was a revived Roman Empire, and would become the kingdom of the coming Antichrist and the Beast. The Roman Empire also figured into the New Testament writers' vision of the future. The fact that in the early 1970s, there were (erroneously thought to be) seven nations in the European Economic Community was held to be significant; this aligned the Community with a seven-headed beast mentioned in Revelation. This specific prophecy has required revision, but the idea of a revived Roman Empire remains. The separate destinies of the Church and Israel, a belief which is inherent in dispensationalism is a particular concern to some Jews and to some evangelical Christians. Evangelicals who reject dispensationalism, such as those who hold to a Post Tribulation Rapture, (or more accurately a Post Tribulation Resurrection-Rapture), see both the Church and Israel entering the crucible of the End Time together. Dispensationalism, in contrast to the Millerite Adventist movement, had its beginning in the 19th century, when John Nelson Darby, founder of the Plymouth Brethren religious denomination, incorporated into his system of Biblical interpretation a system of organizing Biblical time into a number of discrete dispensations, each of which marks a separate covenant with God. Darby's beliefs were widely publicized in Cyrus I. Scofield's Scofield Reference Bible, an annotated Bible that became popular in the United States of America. Since the majority of the Biblical prophets were writing at a time when Israel was mostly Jewish, and the Temple in Jerusalem was still functioning, they wrote as if those institutions would still be in operation during the prophesied events. According to Preterism this was the very fulfillment of the prophecies. However, according to Futurists their destruction in AD 70 put the prophetic timetable, if there is one, on hold. Many such believers therefore anticipated the return of Jews to Israel and the reconstruction of the Temple before the Second Coming could occur. (See Christian Zionism) Post-tribulation pre-millenialists A view of the Second Coming of Christ as held by post-tribulational pre-millennialists is unique, though not widely held in the Protestant Church because of it connotations, namely that the Church of Christ will have to undergo great persecution. Specific prophetic movements *In 1843, William Miller made the first of several predictions that the world would end in only a few months. As his predictions did not come true (referred to as the Great Disappointment), followers of Miller went on to found separate churches, the most successful of which is the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Restorationism (Christian primitivism) End times theology is also significant to restorationist Christian religions, which consider themselves distinct from both Catholicism and Protestantism. Latter-day Saints and Mormonism The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormons, has taught that humanity is living in the last days. Latter-day Saints do not speculate as to the exact age of the world, except that it was created in 6 "creative periods". They believe Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden after the world's creation. They do not speculate as to the time, day or year of the second coming, but watch for Biblical indications, or "Signs of the Times" that the event is approaching. Latter-day Saints believe that their church is led by prophets who receive inspiration and direction from God. A number of Mormon leaders have taught that the human family has been allotted seven thousand years, and that the earth is nearing the end of the sixth such millennium. Mormon leader Orson F. Whitney stated that humanity is now in the "late Saturday night" of the Earth's existence, and that the seventh thousandth year will be marked by Christ's second coming and the ushering in of the millennial kingdom, which will be Earth's Sabbath and day of rest. The seven seals and seven trumpets of the Book of Revelation relate to the seven millennia allotted to Earth by Latter-day Saint theology. Latter-day Saints are frequently counseled to watch for the "signs of the times" but not to fear them. The statement "if ye are prepared ye shall not fear" (from Doctrine and Covenants 38:30) has brought comfort among the Latter-day Saints. Wars, pestilence, economic despair, natural disasters and more are all part of what Latter-day Saints see as signs of the times. In particular, a great earthquake is mentioned in all cases. Other events that Latter-day Saints regard as important, and the dates some of them have purportedly occurred: *Priesthood authority, which had been lost in the great apostasy, to be restored (this happened in May 1829). *The pure gospel of Jesus Christ is to be restored, and taught in His church (this has happened, on April 6, 1830). *Elijah would return and give priesthood keys (this has happened, on April 3, 1836). *The return of the Jews to Jerusalem and Israel, as dedicated by Orson Hyde on October 24, 1841 (first wave of Jewish immigration to Israel, or Aliyah (עלייה) started in 1881). *The building of a temple in Israel (this has not happened, although the building of the Third Temple is currently planned). *The building of a temple in Zion, Jackson County, Missouri (this has not occurred, although the location is marked). *Temples will "dot the earth" (according to Mormon sources, 146 temples as of December 2008). *A meeting of priesthood leaders with angelic beings and Christ in Adam-ondi-Ahman (this has not occurred). *Christ will appear in the Temple in Saline County, Illinois (this has not occurred). *Wars will be poured out upon all nations (could refer to World War II, as this somehow involved almost every country on Earth except from Bhutan and a few African countries). *The nations of the earth will be gathered to fight Israel (this has not occurred). *The Wicked will be consumed by fire (some traditions allude to a nuclear holocaust, and some hold that this will be at the coming of Christ.) *The restored gospel will be preached in all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples (there are, according to Mormon sources, 53,000 missionaries in 165 countries as of 2008). Many Latter-Day Saints' temples feature a statue of Moroni on the highest spire. Most of these statues face East, the direction from which Christ will come. The Salt Lake City temple has two large doors on the east side of the building, that are not used. Tradition holds that Christ will enter the temple through these doors, when He comes again. After the coming of Christ to the mount of Olives, and the destruction of the wicked, the righteous will live on the earth in relative peace and prosperity during the millennium, under the leadership of Christ. Other churches still may exist during this time, and not all people living will be Latter-day Saints, but such people will represent the "more righteous" part of the peoples of the earth. Missionary work and temple work for the deceased (see Baptism for the dead) will continue during the millennium and missionary and genealogy work will be a main focus of Church members and other righteous individuals who live during the time leading up to the final judgement. Joseph Smith produced an inspired rendition of Matthew 24, relating to the end times. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believe that, at the beginning of the Millennial Era, Jesus Christ the Lord will appear at his Second Coming and usher in a thousand-year era of peace, called the Millennium, whereby Satan will be bound (Doctrine and Covenants 88:110), the wicked will be removed from the Earth, and the righteous will be "caught up to meet him". A resurrection of the righteous who have died will occur—they will also "be caught up to meet him." (Doctrine and Covenants 88:96-97). During the Millennium, every man or woman to ever live on the Earth will be resurrected. Those individuals who were righteous will be resurrected at the beginning, and will be able to visit the Earth to restore the knowledge about family histories; the wicked will be resurrected at the end of the Millennium (D & C 76:85). At the time of each person's resurrection, their Last Judgment will occur, during which all individuals will be placed into one of three heavenly kingdoms: the Celestial Kingdom, the Terrestrial Kingdom, and the Telestial Kingdom. In the Doctrine and Covenants, Joseph Smith Jr., who is believed to be the translator of the Book of Mormon and the first Mormon prophet, leader, and seer for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, reveals that the kingdoms will be separated into various levels of glory in symbolic comparison to the sun, the moon, and the stars. The sun, being the brightest of these heavenly bodies, is relative to the glory of the celestial kingdom, which is reserved for those who obey the commandments, live righteously, and become baptized. The moon, being the second brightest heavenly body, is relative to the terrestrial kingdom, which is for those who are righteous in a sense, but do not constantly obey the commandments and/or are not baptized. The stars, being the least brightest heavenly body, are relative to the telestial kingdom, which is for those individuals who are wicked and commit major sins without repenting.A group of people who reject Jesus Christ after receiving full and indisputable knowledge of his divinity and those who murder and shed innocent blood, will go to what is referred to as the Outer darkness, which is where Satan will eventually be consigned forever with his hosts of angels.(D & C 76:43-46) While the exact time of Christ's return is not known in Latter-Day Saints' theology, there are certain signs that are accepted as pointing to his return: *The mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, Isa. 2: 2-3. *The Lord shall lift an ensign and gather Israel, Isa. 5: 26 (2 Ne. 15: 26-30). *The sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not cause her light to shine, Isa. 13: 10 (Joel 3: 15; D & C 29: 14). *Men shall transgress the law and break the everlasting covenant, Isa. 24: 5. *The Nephites (ancient fallen people of the Americas, descended from Joseph of Egypt) shall speak as a voice from the dust, Isa. 29: 4 (2 Ne. 27). *Israel shall be gathered with power, Isa. 49: 22-23 (1 Ne. 21: 22-23; 3 Ne. 20-21). *God shall set up a kingdom which shall not be destroyed, Dan. 2: 44 (D & C 65: 2). *War, dreams, and visions shall precede the Second Coming, Joel 2. *All nations will gather against Jerusalem to battle, Zech. 14: 2 (Ezek. 38-39). *The day cometh that shall burn as an oven, Mal. 4: 1 (3 Ne. 25: 1; D & C 133: 64; JS-H 1: 37). *Great calamities shall precede the Second Coming, Matt. 24 (JS-M 1). *Paul described apostasy and perilous times of the last days, 2 Tim. 3-4. *Two prophets will be slain and resurrected in Jerusalem, Rev. 11 (D & C 77: 15). *The gospel shall be restored in the last days by angelic ministry, Rev. 14: 6-7 (D & C 13; 27; 110: 11-16; 128: 8-24). *Babylon will be established and fall, Rev. 17-18. *Israel shall be gathered with power, 1 Ne. 21: 13-26 (Isa. 49: 13-26; 3 Ne. 20-21). *The Book of Mormon shall come forth by the power of God, Morm. 8. *Lamanites (Indigenous peoples of the Americas) to blossom, D & C 49: 24-25. *The Lord is to slay the wicked, D & C 63: 32-35 (Rev. 9). *War will be poured out upon all nations, D & C 87: 2. *Signs, upheavals of the elements, and angels prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, D & C 88: 86-94. *Darkness to cover the earth, D & C 112: 23-24. Jehovah's Witnesses Jehovah's Witnesses have their own unique eschatology, involving very specific doctrines on the End Times, which is explained in detail in their literature. For example, Witnesses teach that the Greek word parousia, often translated as 'coming', means 'presence' and that the term "last days" refers to the concluding time period of this system of things. Witnesses teach that the last days began in 1914 with the events surrounding the outbreak of World War I. In the future, God is expected to cleanse the earth of all wickedness and Satan will be bound for 1,000 years. During this time period, people will be resurrected to life on earth and given a chance to learn about God (Jehovah) and to live under the rule of Jesus Christ. Christ will rule over the earth from heaven with 144,000 co-rulers, restoring earth to its original paradise-like state. They teach that Biblical prophecy shows there will be no more death, sickness and that people will live in peace and harmony as God's originally purposed for mankind. Jehovah's Witnesses' unique beliefs postulate the order of events relating to the End Times and subsequent restoration of earth: #King Nebuchadnezzar's dream at Daniel chapter 4 refer to the kingdom of God, to be given to Jesus Christ, after "seven times". Until then, the kingdom of God, represented by Jerusalem, was trampled on by the nations", represented in the book of Daniel by wild beasts. After successive kingdoms, beginning with Nebuchadnezzar, and then Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the Anglo-American world powers, God would reassert the authority of his kingdom by 'crushing' those kingdoms. #The "seven times" began after Zedekiah, the last king in the typical kingdom of God, was removed from the throne in Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar. 607 BC (rather than the secularly accepted 587 BC) is selected based on their beliefs that the Jews returned from captivity in 537 BC (rather than the secularly accepted 538 BC10) and that the Jews were exiled in Babylon for exactly 70 years. The "seven times", based on a comparison with the 42 months (3 1/2 years or 1,260 days) at Revelation 11:2,3 and 12:6,14, are construed to mean 2,520 days. A year is counted for each of the 2,520 days to arrive at 2,520 years, which are counted from October 607 BC to arrive at October 1914. #In October 1914, at the end of "seven times" Christ was installed as king in heaven and Satan and his angels were hurled down to the earth, marking the beginning of the end times ("last days"). #Fulfillment of prophecies in Matthew 24, Mark 13, Luke 21 about the "conclusion of the system of things" has occurred since 1914 to provide a composite "sign" that Jesus' invisible presence in heaven has begun. #There will be a worldwide "cry of 'peace and security'" before the "great tribulation" begins. #All religions, represented by the Babylon the Great, except Jehovah's Witnesses, will be destroyed by the United Nations. #Satan will attack God's people. #Political rulers and other wicked people will be destroyed by God at Armageddon. #Jesus will bind Satan in an abyss. #Jesus will reign for 1000 years, during which righteous people delivered through Armageddon will work together with the help of Jesus and 144,000 to make the earth a paradise, like the original Garden of Eden. In addition, the dead will gradually be resurrected and given the chance to learn righteousness without Satanic influence. Mankind will be restored to perfection. #At the end of the 1000 years, Satan will be let loose for a short time as a final test to "mislead the nations", after which he will be destroyed along with his followers. #With only perfect mankind remaining, Jesus will hand the kingdom to God. Witnesses remain neutral in political affairs and teach that believers on earth will be spectators only in the above-mentioned scenario, not participating in any type of warfare. They generally do not use the expression 'end of the world', with its connotations of the destruction of humanity or the planet, but prefer to use the expression 'conclusion of a system of things', thus maintaining the distinction between the original-language words kosmos (world) and aion (age), or system of things. Islam Main articles: Islamic eschatology and QiyamahThere are various signs (as many as up to 100) given in the Sunnah and Quran for the coming of Judgment Day. These signs can be divided into two parts, minor and major. The major signs include #And you will see people entering religion of God in crowds. (Qur'an Surat an-Nasr, 1-2) #the coming of an Antichrist, Imam Mahdi and then Prophet Jesus (who will combine forces of good against evil), (Qur'an 43:61) #the blowing of Trumpet and the minor signs will precede them. #the Sun will rise from the West instead of the East. #the Earth will experience such big an earthquake that will cause mountains to crush down, the Earth's inner body will broke out and the Earth would be stretched out.99:1, 69:13-14, 70:8, 84:3-4, 20:105-107, 99:1-6. #Earthquake from the East, The West, and one in the Arabian Pennisila #Gog(yahjuj) & Magog(mahjuj) will be released and will destroy the crops, animals, water and kill everything. Prophet Isa will take all the believers to the mountains and Allah will finally send worm to wipe out the Barbaric creatures. #Smoke will spread and cause non-believers to fall ill whereas the believers will caught a mere cold. Later, Allah will send a cold wind, killing all the believers Leaving only the Kufaars to see the last day till the Day Of Judgment will arrive. Islamic eschatology is concerned with the Qiyamah (end of the world; Last Judgment) and the final judgment of humanity. Eschatology relates to one of the six articles of faith (aqidah) of Islam. Like the other Abrahamic religions, Islam teaches the bodily resurrection of the dead, the fulfillment of a divine plan for creation, and the immortality of the human soul; the righteous are rewarded with the pleasures of Jannah (Heaven), while the unrighteous are punished in Jahannam (Hell). A significant fraction of the Quran deals with these beliefs, with many hadith elaborating on the themes and details. Islamic apocalyptic literature describing the Armageddon is often known as fitna (a test) and malahim (or ghayba in the shi'ite tradition). Sunni Islam In Sunni Islam, which is followed by the majority of Muslims, the signs revolve around the purification of earth and creating a perfect Islamic society. The appearance of the Mahdi as the final Muslim Caliph and the descending of prophet Jesus in his time. There are both major and minor signs of the end times. These occurrences are the final steps of Judgment day and occur on Earth: #The blowing of the first Trumpet killing all humans on Earth. #The blowing of the second Trumpet marking resurrection. #The awaiting of Judgment by all humans. #Judgment of mankind begins. Shia Islam End of time beliefs in Shia Islamic thought are based on Quranic references, instruction from the Prophet Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt. Several variants of one theory exist in Shia eschatology, yet they all revolve around the messianic figure, Imam Mahdi also known as "Imam-e-Zamana" meaning the Leader of Our Time, who is considered by Shias as the 12th appointed successor of Prophet Muhammad. The Shia End of Time theory also states that the coming of Jesus, will coincide with the return of the Mahdi. Shias believe that Jesus and the Mahdi will work together to bring about peace and justice on earth between all peoples of faith. This is the general theme accepted among Shia theologians. In Shia Islamic thought, there is a worldly reality that is mentioned to occur before the end of human life on earth. The events that occur in the final moments of humanity will mainly revolve around Dajjal and his ability to woo humanity to a new world religion, one that is not divinely issued. The idea of a Mahdi returning to help humanity against the "Great Deception" is also mentioned in Sunni traditions, but is specifically outlined as Muhammad al-Mahdi in Shia sources. There are many sources that have prophecies regarding the last days, with only some that are accepted as repeated in different sources by different people. A majority of Shia scholars[who?] agree on the following detail of events that will occur in the final days:[citation needed] #The Dajjal (Al Masih Al Dajjal - The Antichrist) will claim to be the savior of humanity and people of all faiths will unite under his religion #There will be mass killings of Shias in Iraq (around the Euphrates), and there will be prices put on their hands, even if they are not criminals #There will be a revolt by a "Yamani" who will be defeated in his efforts #The Mahdi will reappear and make a speech at the Kaaba and will gather an army of 313 generals and thousands of followers to defeat the Dajjal #A person by the name of "Sufyani" (his religion is not mentioned, though he is a descendant of the disintegrated Ummayyad dynasty whose scattered descendants may have been in the Levant and Spain or Morocco over the last 12 centuries) will lead forces from Syria across Iraq to Arabia to defeat the Mahdi's forces along with his Allies #The Mahdi will re-establish the true Islam and the world will find peace and tranquility #There will be a period of rule by the Mahdi #The resurrection of men and women will begin as the Day of Judgement will commence Hinduism Main article: Hindu eschatology Hindus have a cyclic understanding of external history/internal spirituality. The Cycle or "Kalpa", lasting 8.64 billion years in the terms of orthodox Hindus, illustrates the pattern of decline in the state of nature and civilization between periods of timelessness when Brahma (Creator aspect of mind/spirit) regenerates the world of existence/reality. There are four yugs or ages in this process from completely pure to completely impure. The final is Kali Yuga or the Dark Age where civilization becomes spiritually degraded, human lives are shortened by violence and disease and there is a general state of decay in nature. This is the worst period before complete destruction which is then followed by a Golden Age.[citation needed] Hindu traditional prophecies, as described in the Puranas and several other texts, say that the world shall fall into chaos and degradation. There will then be a rapid influx of perversity, greed and conflict, and this state has been described as: "Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya Glanir Bhavati Bharata, Abhyuthanam Adharmasya Tadatmanam Srijami Aham". Bhagavad Gita (Chapter IV-7) "Whenever there is decay of righteousness O! Bharatha And a rise of unrighteousness then I manifest Myself!" Thus whenever there is intolerable evil and chaos in the world, there is an appearance of an avatar. In the current yuga, known as the Kali (the most evil) yuga, "The Lord shall manifest Himself as the Kalki Avatar… He will establish righteousness upon the earth and the minds of the people will become as pure as crystal." In Hinduism, there is no eternal damnation of souls or end times. After this evil Kali yuga ends, the next yuga or epoch would be Satya yuga where everyone will be righteous, followed by Treta yuga, Dwapara yuga and then another Kali Yuga. Thus time is cyclical and the epochs keep repeating infinitely. However, the extent of tolerable evil and degradation in each epoch is different and therefore the threshold that is necessary for the manifestation of God's incarnation is different for each yuga. The current yuga is the most evil and so the threshold for the appearance of the avatar is so high that the world needs to degrade to the maximum levels. Buddhism Main article: Buddhist eschatology Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit; Pali: Siddhāttha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from Nepal and the founder of Buddhism. The time of his birth and death are uncertain but a number of 20th-century historians have dated his lifetime from circa 563 BC to 483 BC. Some more recent scholars, however, have suggested dates of 410 to 400 BC for his death.13 This alternative chronology, however, has not yet been accepted by other historians.1415 This founder of Buddhism said that his teachings would disappear after 5,000 years,16 when no one anymore practices Buddhism. According to the Sutta Pitaka, the "ten moral courses of conduct" will disappear and people will follow the ten amoral concepts of theft, violence, murder, lying, evil speaking, adultery, abusive and idle talk, covetousness and ill will, wanton greed, and perverted lust resulting in skyrocketing poverty and the end of the worldly laws of true dharma.[citation needed] As part of Buddhist eschatology, it is believed that the era leading up to the coming of the next Buddha Maitreya will be characterized by impiety, physical weakness, sexual depravity and general societal disarray. Commentators like Buddhaghosa predicted a step-by-step disappearance of the Buddha's teachings. During the first stage, arahants would no longer appear in the world. Later, the content of the Buddha's true teachings would vanish, and only their form would be preserved. Finally, even the form of the Dharma would be forgotten. During the final stage, the memory of the Buddha himself would be forgotten, and the last of his relics would be gathered together in Bodh Gaya and cremated. Some time following this development a new Buddha named Maitreya will arise to renew the teachings of Buddhism and rediscover the path to Nirvana. Maitreya is believed to currently reside in the Tushita heaven, where he is awaiting his final rebirth in the world. The decline of Buddhism in the world, and its eventual re-establishment by Maitreya, are in keeping with the general shape of Buddhist cosmology. Like Hidus, Buddhists generally believe in a cycle of creation and destruction, of which the current epoch represents only the latest step. The historical Buddha Shakyamuni is only the latest in a series of Buddhas that stretches back into the past. Zoroastrianism Main article: Zoroastrian eschatology Zoroastrian eschatology is the oldest eschatology found in recorded history. By the year 500 BC, a fully developed concept of the end of the world was established in Zoroastrianism. According to Zoroastrian philosophy, redacted in the Zand-i Vohuman Yasht, "at the end of thy tenth hundredth winter...the sun is more unseen and more spotted; the year, month, and day are shorter; and the earth is more barren; and the crop will not yield the seed; and men ... become more deceitful and more given to vile practices. They have no gratitude." "Honorable wealth will all proceed to those of perverted faith...and a dark cloud makes the whole sky night...and it will rain more noxious creatures than winter." At the end of this spiritual battle between the righteous and wicked, a final judgment of all souls will occur. Sinners whose bad deeds are more than their good deeds will be punished for 3 days, but will eventually be forgiven. The world will reach perfection as all evil traits such as poverty, old age, disease, thirst, hunger, and death will disappear from the earth. Zoroastrian concepts parallel greatly with those of Jewish, Christian, and Islamic eschatological beliefs. Zoroaster also preached that bliss will be everywhere, and not just in a remote kingdom of paradise. Native American Several Native American tribes[by whom?] hold similar beliefs concerning the end times. Hopi Among the Native peoples of the Americas, the Hopi also have expectations of a "Day of Purification" followed by a great renewal. Hopi tribal leaders such as Dan Evehema, Thomas Banyaca, and Martin Gashwaseoma, prophesize that the coming of the white man signals the end times, along with a strange beast "like a buffalo but with great horns that would overrun the land".20 It is prophesied that during the end times, the earth would be crossed by "iron snakes" and "stone rivers"; the land would be crisscrossed by a giant spider's web, and seas will turn black. (A common speculative interpretation is to equal "iron snakes" with trains, "rock rivers" with highways and the giant spiders web with powerlines or even the World Wide Web.)20 Other prophecies are interpreted to include guns, covered wagons, oil spills, family members being too busy to have time for one another, and the desire of many in the hippy movement to learn the ways of the Hopi Indians. It is also prophesied that a "great dwelling place" in the heavens shall fall with a great crash. It will appear as a blue star, and the earth will rock to and fro. White men would then battle people in other lands, with those who possess wisdom of their presence. There would then be smoke in the deserts, and the signs that great destruction is near. Many would then die, but those who understand the prophecies shall live in the places of the Hopi people and be safe. The Pahana or "True White Brother" would then return to plant the seeds of wisdom in people's hearts, and thus usher in the dawn of the Fifth World. Maya Further information: 2012 and the Maya CalendarThe ancient and many modern Maya groups believe that the universe has been renewed four previous times. The first attempt at human life produced animals instead; the second produced a people made of clay who would eventually become certain insects (such as ants and bees); the third attempt produced monkeys; and the fourth attempt produced us: "true humans." Each prior attempt at the human creation was destroyed by a different catastrophe which ended the universe. These stories vary by Maya group: the animals were nearly destroyed by a flood, the people of clay were nearly destroyed by a flood and then a global firestorm, the monkey-people were attacked by their own belongings and their animals. The astronomically-based Mayan calendar will be completing its first great cycle of approximately 5,200 years on the 21 December 2012. Although there is no substantial evidence that the ancient Maya considered the date significant, many people have postulated that this is the "end of the Universe" from the Mayan perspective, and others believe that the Mayans meant this to symbolize the "coming of a great change." Brahma Kumaris and it's branches The Brahma Kumaris believe that the cycle will come to an end after every 5000 years. This is very similar to the Mayan belief in a 5000 year cycle. At the end of each cycle, there would be extensive destructive events which will wipe out the whole population of the old world. The end of the cycle is referred to as "the end" or "the end times". But this does not mean that there would be a complete end to the world. At the end of the old cycle, a new cycle begins. When the new cycle begins, a new kind of people come into existence and they will be divine human beings. The population at the beginning of the new cycle would be very small. The new cycle begins with Satyug or the Golden Age. The vices would not exist in the new world. At the end of the old world, the vices would have increase to such an intolerable state that the old world will have to be wiped out. At the end of the cycle, Man would not be able to endure the weak state and the unhappiness that comes with it. So the time for their existence has to end and a new kind of people will be born on earth. Greek religion Main article: Greek Mythology Greek mythology is derived primarily from Greek literature and representations on visual media dating from the Geometric period (c. 900-800 BC) onward.24 Ancient Greek mythology claimed that Zeus, as he had previously overthrown his father, Cronos, would in turn also be overthrown by a son. This story can be seen as the equivalent to the end of the world, or the end of an age. Prometheus revealed to him that this son would be born from Zeus and Thetis, if they copulated. In order to prevent this from happening, Zeus married Thetis to Peleus, a mortal hero. This union produced Achilles, the protagonist of the Iliad and one of the greatest heroes of Greek myth. Norse religion Main article: Ragnarök In Norse mythology, Ragnarök (Old Norse "Final destiny of the gods") refers to a series of major events, including a great battle foretold to ultimately result in the ultimate death of a ultimate number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor, Freyr, Heimdall, and the jötunn Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Afterwards, the world resurfaces anew and fertile, the surviving gods meet, and the world is repopulated by two human survivors. Ragnarök is an important event in the Norse canon, and has been the subject of an amount of scholarly discourse and theory. Fulfillment While most religious traditions remain waiting for end time events, some believe that the events have been fulfilled. Several established religions believe that their founder represents the coming of the Promised One of previous scriptures, and that the spread of their teachings will ultimately bring about the desired society of unity and justice. Bahá'í Faith The founder of the Bahá'í Faith, Bahá'u'lláh claimed that he was the return of Christ as well as prophetic expectations of other religions. The inception of the Bahá'í Faith coincides with Millerite prophesy pointing to the year 1844. With respect to particular expectations of the end times, it has been argued that the Battle of Armageddon has already passed25 and that mass martyrdoms anticipated during the End Times had already passed within the historical context of the Bahá'í Faith.26 Bahá'ís expect their faith to be eventually embraced by the masses of the world, ushering in a golden age of society. Ahmadiyya In Ahmadiyya Islam, the present age has been a witness to the wrath of God with the occurrence of the World Wars and the frequency of natural disasters.27 In Ahmadiyya, Ghulam Ahmad (d.1908) is seen as the promised Messiah whose Islamic teachings will establish spiritual reform and ultimately establish an age of peace upon earth. This age continues for around a thousand years as per judeo-Christian prophecies; and is characterised by the assembling of mankind under one faith that is Islam as per Ahmadiyya belief .28 Rastafarianism Rastafarians have a unique interpretation of the end times, based on the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation. They believe Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie is God incarnate, the King of kings and Lord of lords mentioned in Revelation 5:5. While on the one hand Selassie's crowning was seen as the second coming, and events such as the Second Italo-Ethiopian War were seen as fulfillments of biblical and specifically Revelation prophecy there is also expectation that Selassie will call a day of judgment, when he will bring home the lost children of Israel (the black peoples taken out of Africa during the slave trade) to live with him in peace, love and harmony in the Mount Zion in Africa. Then Throughout the universe, the warriors were growing too strong and numerous for the realms to handle. The warriors' powers threaten to utterly destroy the fabric of the universe. These warriors clashed in a single battle royale that would threaten to rip apart reality and bring about the apocalypse. Without warning, a pyramid rises from the ground, and the tip bursts into flames, attracting the warriors' curiosity to see what it was. The kombatants fought one another to get to the top, while Blaze revealed himself to them. The firespawn was created by the Elder Gods to destroy as many fighters as possible in order to save the realms from Armageddon. This would be the warriors' last battle, their last chance to prove that they are worthy of surviving, while many others will perish. This will be the final battle for Mortal Kombat, the battle that will determine the fate of the realms... In physical cosmology, the Big Crunch is one possible scenario for the ultimate fate of the universe, in which the metric expansion of space eventually reverses and the universe recollapses, ultimately ending as a black hole singularity. Big Crunch Overview Enlarge Big Crunch overviewIf the universe is finite in extent and the cosmological principle (not to be confused with the cosmological constant) does not apply, and the expansion speed does not exceed the escape velocity, then the mutual gravitational attraction of all its matter will eventually cause it to contract. Because entropy continues to increase in the contracting phase, the contraction would appear very different from the time reversal of the expansion. While the early universe was highly uniform, a contracting universe would become increasingly clumped. Eventually all matter would collapse into black holes, which would then coalesce producing a unified black hole or Big Crunch singularity. The Hubble Constant measures the current state of expansion in the universe, and the strength of the gravitational force depends on the density and pressure of the matter and in the universe, or in other words, the critical density of the universe. If the density of the universe is greater than the critical density, then the strength of the gravitational force will stop the universe from expanding and the universe will collapse back on itself. Conversely, if the density of the universe is less than the critical density, the universe will continue to expand and the gravitational pull will not be enough to stop the universe from expanding. This scenario would result in the 'Big Freeze', where the universe cools as it expands and reaches a state of entropy.1 Some theorize that the universe could collapse to the state where it began and then initiate another Big Bang, so in this way the universe would last forever, but would pass through phases of expansion (Big Bang) and contraction (Big Crunch)2 Recent experimental evidence (namely the observation of distant supernova as standard candles, and the well-resolved mapping of the cosmic microwave background) have led to speculation that the expansion of the universe is not being slowed down by gravity but rather accelerating. However, since the nature of the dark energy that drives the acceleration is unknown, it is still possible that it might eventually reverse sign and cause a collapse. Throughout the universe, the warriors were growing too strong and numerous for the realms to handle. The warriors' powers threaten to utterly destroy the fabric of the universes. These warriors clashed in a single battle royale that would threaten to rip apart reality and bring about the apocalypse. Without warning, a pyramid rises from the ground, and the tip bursts into flames, attracting the warriors' curiosity to see what it was. The kombatants fought one another to get to the top, while Blaze revealed himself to them During the Rage of the Red Lanterns . The firespawn was created by the Elder Gods to destroy as many fighters as possible in order to save the realms from Armageddon. This would be the warriors' last battle, their last chance to prove that they are worthy of surviving, while many others will perish. This will be the final battle for Mortal Kombat, the battle that will determine the fate of the realms... Category:Sagas